Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-06-08

She's in big hurry" added Joe, with
o g.ccful chuckle, $50 they're harness
ing up Brown Pete, and there isn't but
orc better trOtter in the stable-that' $
Pottcr's sOrrel mare, and she's regu-
lar flicr." For Joe, like most boss,
was very fond of fast horse, and, be-
ing an excellent driver for his years,
obtained gratuitous rides and OCCASION
al quarters by taking occasional pas
for Mr.. Potter.
But the arrival Of the stage, with Mr.
Atherton and one other passcngcr-a
small, silent man, who Orlly spoke in
| mOnOSyllablcS, whose features Tad
could not distinguish in the gathering
darkncss-drove Joe's communication
and the mysterious occupant Of the par
Tor, alike, from his mind, till after the
discovery of the robbery of Mrs. Ma
sons room, when, as | have said, her
| husbands sudden reference to the loss
| Of the cloLk c;lGsed new idea to occur
To him, which brought the incident Just
narrated freshly To mind, and sent him
rushing from the rooI. Not only this,
but, growing into an almost certainty
rs be hurried along, it added such
speed to his flying feet that. on his ar
| rival Mt POttcr's, in flushed and
heated condition, Tad stumbled almost
hcad-iirst against the small, silent man
who had been Mr.. Athcrton's fellow
passenger, us he was walking the piazza
with cigar in his mouth. Hastily OK
cusing himself, Tad burst into the of
flee, where Mr.. Potter, who weighed
nearly three hundred pounds, was sit
| ting in his shirt-sleeycs, reading the
NeU England Farmer.
"Say, Mr.. Potter" gaspcd Tad,
brcathlcssly, show long has Joe been
gone with that person-passenge
the long black cloak?"
"Eh?' responded Mr.. Potter, look
ing up from his paper and speaking
with agGrayatinS Gcliberation, chow
longp Lcmmo see. Mira" raising
| his voice for the benefit of his wife, i'm
the other room, show long that young
Whitney ben away with that air lady
passcngcr-thc one in such n tremen-
dous hurry TO git to Middlcborrer?"
Tad, with fcycrish impaticncc.
awaited the answer. The small man
on the piazza, near the open door, must
have been of rather inquisitivc nat
urc; for. holding his cigar between his
fingers. and his head little to one
side, hc, too, seemed to listen for Mrs.
Potter's response.
Pretty nigh half N hour" called
Mrs. Potter, through the ha!f-opcn
door. "Why, who wants To know?"
"Me-Tad Theme, Mrs. Potter" ex-
claimed Tad, in an aSitatcd voice, and
oh, Mr.. Potter! 'front.' you have the sor-
rel marc put right in quick, so can
drive off after hcr-I mean him
dressed up in Mrs. Mason's cloak, and
catch EN- before hc-she-gcts to Mid
| dleboror'
"Whv. what on earth is tho matter
with you?' demanded Mrs. Potter, with
some aspcrity, as she bounced into the
Office.
It's that Forrest - his name is
Jones-I mean Edwards" poor Tad
exclaimed, incoherently, "hc's stole
Mr.. Athcrtoh's handbag. full of
dfmurs and papers, and dressed up in
Mrs. Mason's clothes and cloak
"Mr. Potterr interrupted n quick
and somewhat impcrious voice, pro-
cccdiEg from the smoker of the piazza,
who, ilinging his cigar aside, suddenly
appeared inside the door, "have yoar
fastest horse put into n light bug.
and be quick about itr' And in the
voice, as well rs its owner, Tad, with
great thrill of joy, recognized City De-
tcctive Blossom, who, it will be re-
mcmbcrcd, Lad caused Mr.. Jones to
restore the little alligator-skin sachel
to Tad, i'm the streets Of Boston, n long
time before.
TELL him the sorrcl mare, Mr.
Blossom" cried Tad, who was wildly
excited; "she can trot ever so much
faster than Brown Pete-and OH!
please let me 60, tOor'
The detective glanced sharply at
Tad, and nodded. You can go," he
snid, briefly. 1.-THE sorrel mare, Mr..
Potter, and be quick about it," he
added; and. greatly bewiiGcred, Mr..
Potter bawlcd his directions to his
wife, who repeated them from the back
window to the hostler, in the stable
yard.
'Iow was ftp" asked Mr.. Blossom,
in his curt way, as Tad followed him
out on the piazza. And Tad succeeded
in giving u toierably sUccinct account
of the robbery and leading circum-
stances which had made him almost
positive rs to the guilty person.
Smart boy" the detective re-
marked, approvingly, as the buggy
ratified round to the door; Jump ini''
And. springing after Tad, Mr.. Blossom,
snatchcd the reins from the hcstIer's
hands. chirruped to the sorrel mare,
and they were of.
Its n straight road to Midd,cboro-
only one hill," gaspcd Tad, Whose
breath was almost taken away by the
rapidity with which the light buggy
was being whirled along behind the
nimble heels of the sorrel mare. As
long rs he lives he will never forget
that night drive over the level, dusty
highway, lined on either side by the
dense piny growth peculiar to the New
England States. The moon was
nearly full, and as it gradually rose
above the tree-tops great patches
Of alternate light and shadows were
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